Vundu catfish

A giant African catfish: smooth, heavy gray to bronze-brown body, broad flat head with small eyes, four pairs of long barbels, a long dorsal fin followed by a big fleshy adipose fin (the sharptooth catfish has no adipose fin), and a rounded tail.

10–50 lb.

About 5 ft and about 120 lb (55 kg).

Fish, crabs, snails, insects, fallen fruit and carrion.

A shy, mostly nocturnal giant that lives in deep river channels and pools and comes up at night to feed. Famous for long, bulldogging fights.

Found from African Lakes & Rivers, Gulf of Guinea & Central Africa and Morocco & West Africa. Large rivers and lakes: the middle and upper Zambezi (including Lake Kariba), the Congo basin, the Nile, Lake Tanganyika, and West African rivers from the Gambia and Senegal to the Niger, Volta, Cross, Sanaga and Ogowe.

Large rivers and lakes: the middle and upper Zambezi (including Lake Kariba), the Congo basin, the Nile, Lake Tanganyika, and West African rivers from the Gambia and Senegal to the Niger, Volta, Cross, Sanaga and Ogowe.

10–60 ft in deep channels and pools.

On the bottom in deep holes, below rapids and off steep banks.

Warm months, about October to April on the Zambezi; the rainy season brings them into feeding mode.

Night.

No tide — rising, slightly colored water is good.

Warm, humid nights; thunderstorms often get them feeding.

Big smelly baits: ox liver, soap-and-flour dough baits used by Zambezi anglers, whole fish and fish heads.

Rarely caught on lures.

Heavy 7–9 ft rod and a big reel with lots of line and a strong drag.

6/0–10/0 circle or strong J hooks.

50–80 lb braid or 40–60 lb mono.

60–100 lb mono to handle rocks and the rough mouth.

Anchor or fish from the bank over a deep hole, cast a big bait to the bottom and wait. When the run comes, let it take line for a second, then set and pull it away from snags.

Use enough weight to hold bottom in the current and a rod holder with the reel's clicker on — vundu runs come in the middle of the night.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Good eating when fresh.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

Rich, oily meat eaten locally; smaller fish are better eating.

Big vundu are heavy and slimy; support the body and keep fingers away from the rough mouth. Night fishing on African rivers means crocodiles and hippos — stay well back from the edge and use a light.

Vundu are mostly released by sport anglers on Kariba and the upper Zambezi; many lodges are catch-and-release. Parks such as Mana Pools and the Lower Zambezi have their own permits and rules. Each African country sells its own fishing license, and national parks, game reserves and many lodges charge separate rod or park fees; some lakes and rivers have closed seasons or catch-and-release rules — check before you go.

Giant vundu are old fish; release them.